BENGALURU: Distribution of free bicycles to high school children, which was one of the ambitious schemes launched by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa in 2010, is not likely to be part of Budget 2020, due to financial constraints. With the focus on technology and innovation, the budget aims to provide better facilities to teachers and students, and also improve the quality of education.
The annual budget for the Department of Public Instruction is around Rs 20,000 crore, of which close to Rs 18,000 crore goes towards teachers’ salaries. In the previous budget, the department got Rs 22,000 crore, and this year, officials hope to get another Rs 3,000 crore. But this depends on the finance department and Yediyurappa.
According to sources, only a few schemes are student-oriented, and include midday meals, providing uniforms, shoes and socks, bags and books. The only ‘luxury scheme’ is free bicycles for children of Class 8, and is likely to be scrapped. However, it is Yediyurappa who will take the final call. The department is also hoping to bring out books on teachers who won awards for their innovative methods of teaching. There is a proposal to start a dedicated helpline and Shikshaka Mitra app for teachers, through which they can submit their grievances. A separate dashboard is proposed for the education minister, so that he can himself check their grievances.
The department is also hoping to get some grants for ‘No Bag Day’, to be implemented every Saturday. Schools will also follow the ‘Happiness Syllabus’ started by the Delhi government in its schools, under the name of ‘Shanivaara Sambhrama’, on a couple of Saturdays every month.
Suresh Kumar told TNIE that the budget will focus on quality education and strengthening of government schools. “Middle and lower middle-class families spend at least 30 per cent of their income on their children’s education and send them to private schools. If we provide quality education in our schools, these children will study here. We are hoping to get budget support for our innovative and technology-oriented education system,’’ he added.